Telegraph-repeater.



PATENTED NOV. 13,.1906. v

13. E. BLISS. TELEGRAPH REPEATE R. APPLICATION FILED APB. 181906.

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P. 5.: BLISS. TELEGRAPH REPBATBR.

AI'ILICATIOR FILED APB- 18. 1906.

PATENTED NOV. 18, 1906.

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Witnesses: I 63M v Inventor WM m Wwfiw 5901M 11A Attorney PATENT OFFICE.Y

PAUL E. BLISS, OF LEESBURG, FLORIDA.

TELEGRAPH-REPEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

application filed April 18. 1906- Serial No. 312,321.

T0 (1, whom it 71211.7 concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL E. BLIss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Leesburg, Lake county, Florida, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Telegraph-Repeaters, of which the followingis a specification This invention, pertaining to telegraph-repeaters,will be readily understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is adiagram illustrating an exemplification of my invention; Fig. 2, a planillustrating the preferred construction of relay; Fig. 3, a side view ofthe relay, and Fig. 1 a vertical transverse section of the relay.

In Fig. 1, which diagrams the repeating instruments and circuits of astation, the parts to the right may be considered as pertaining to theeast line, while the parts to the left pertain to the west line, and asthe two sets of parts are in duplicate the description will be mainly inthe singular.

In the diagram, 1 indicates the east relaycore; 2, its usual windingsayone hundred and fifty ohms resistance; 3, the east incoming line; 4,connection therefrom to the relay-winding 2; 5, a switch to connectconductors 3 and 4; 6, a conductor from relaywinding 2 to continued lineor to ground, as the case may be; 7, the relay-armature; 8, itsretractingspring; 9, the sounder; 10, the east local battery; 11, thelocal contact pertaining to the east relay.

Considering the parts as thus far described and assuming switch 5 to beclosed, it will be observed that everything is as usual in ordinarynon-repeating installations, the relay serving simply to respond toimpulses from the eastern line and open and close the east local circuitand work the east sounder, and it is under these conditions that theapparatus would be used for non-repeating work on the east line. Thedescription thus far given will apply precisely to the west line, andunder the conditions mentionedthat is to say, with the switch 5 and itscorresponding west switch closedeither of the lines may be usedprecisely as ordinary lines having no repeating equipment. The soundersmay be precisely as usualsay with four ohms resistance. The localbatteries may be as usualsay one cell of gravity-battery for eachsounder. The relay-windings thus far referred to may be precisely asusualsay one hundred and fifty ohms resistance or I whatever may be theadopted resistance for the relays of the given line.

Continuing with the diagram, 12 indicates a flexible contact-tonguecarried by but insulated from the armature of the east relay; 13,

the construction of this contact arrangement being such that as therelay-armature opens contact 11 will open first, contact 13 openinglater, and when the relay closes contact 13 ing somewhat and contact 11closing later; 1 1, conductor from spring-tongue 12 to the main windingof the west relay; 15, conductor from contact-point 13 to west line; 16,the west line; 17, contact-point connected with the east line andcooperating with the spring-tongue of the west relay; 18, auxiliarywinding on the east relaysay six layers of No. 26 wire or fifteen ohmsresistance; 19, conductor from one terminal of this auxiliary winding toone side of the west local battery and from the other end of thisauxiliary winding to the side of the west sounder opposite its batteryinother words, 19 constitutes a closed circuit containing the eastauxiliary winding and the west sounder and its battery in series; 20, abranch from the auxiliary winding 18, taken off at about the mid-pointof its resistance or, say, at the end of the third layer if there aresix layers in the auxiliary winding; 21, a switch cooperating withcircuit 19 and branch 20, permitting that circuit to include selectivelyeither all or a part of the auxiliary winding; 22, the east relayconsidered as a whole; 23, the east key; 24, the west key; 25, a backcontact for the relay-armature, connected with the local circuit betweenthe battery and sounder; and 26 conductor from west relay-winding tocontinued line or to ground, asthe case may be.

Detailed description has been given only of the apparatus pertaining tothe east; but the west is the same When employed in repeating, theswitch 5 and its corresponding west switch are open, as shown.

Assume sending being done from a distant station on the east line. Whenthe key at that station opens the east circuit, the armature of the eastrelay retreats, contact 11 opens, the armature of the east sounderrises, and spring-contact at 13 opens a trifle later. The westlinecircuit therefore opens. The armature of the west relay does notretreat, being retained by the energizing of the west will close first,the spring-tongue then yield a contact-point to cooperate with thistongue,

relay through the medium of its auxiliary winding and the east localbattery, plus residual magnetism in the west relay. Contact 17 remainsclosed, thus not opening the east line. The west sounder remains down.

When the key at the distant east station closes, then the armature ofthe east relay closes, contact 13 closes, thus closing the westlinecircuit, contact 11 closes, thus closing the east local circu t, and thearmature of the east sounder comes down. The auxiliary winding of thewest relay loses its energy, or I most of it, by reason of the closureof the east local circuit. In this way signals from the east arerepeated to the west. The performance would be similar if the signalswere coming from the west line.

If while signals are coming from the east line some operator on the westline should break, the west relay would become deenergized and open whenthe east operator closes his key and causes contact 11 to close andbring about the .deenergization of the auxiliary winding of the westrelay, whereupon the west relay-armature retreats and breaks the eastline.

Notwithstanding sounder 9 is always in closed circuit with its battery10, it responds promptly to the opening and closing of contact 11 inaccordance with well-established electrical laws, and it is found inpractice that the entire apparatus is responsive to the most rapidsending. When the repeating capacity is not desired, the switch 5 andits corresponding west switch are closed and switches 21 are opened, thetwo sides of the apparatus then representing ordinary nonrepeatingstat-ions. The relays are to be adjusted, as usual that is to say, incorrespondence with variations in main-line conditions. 'The auxiliarywindings of the relays are to accomplish electromagnetic results whenthe main windings of the relays are open, and it follows that theauxiliary windings should have an effect fairly corresponding with thatof the main windings. By manipulating switches 21 the auxiliary windingsmay have their electromagnetic effect varied in an obvious manner. N 0fine adjustments at this point are required. I have found in practicethat varying from full to half strength of the auxiliary winding willtake care of all of the usual variations in the main-line circuit andcompensate for all the corresponding adjustments of the relayspring. Inmany situations the strengthvarying function of the switch 21 is calledon only at very rare intervals. In the illustration the switch 21provides for but two variations in the strength of the auxiliarywinding; but it is obvious that an appropriate switch may effect anydesired number of variations in the effect of these windings.

In the diagram the core of each relay is illustrated as being single;but it will of course be understood, as heretofore stated, that therelay construction follows usual plans, which universally involvemagnets of horseshoe type, this of course calling for an appropriatemodification in the switch 21 in order that it may effect symmetricalmodifications in the effect of the windings.

Supplementing what has been heretofore stated regarding the action, or,rather the nonaction, of the west relay when repeating is being donefrom the east, it may be explained that while the west circuit is closedthe West relay is attracting its armature in virtue of the energy of themain winding of that relay. When the west circuit is opened by the eastrelay, then While the main winding of the Nest relay' loses its energythe auxiliary winding of that relay becomes effective and takes theplace of the main winding in retaining its armature. The west relay,therefore, when repeating is being done from the east has its armatureheld first by the energy of the main winding and then by the energy ofthe auxiliary winding, each energy overlapping the other as to time. Itis to be observed that the auxiliary windings are not called upon tomove the relay-armatures, the movement of attraction being effected. bythe main-line windings and the auxiliary windings requiring simply toretain the armatures after they have been moved. The auxiliary windings,while alternating in duty with the main windings as to holding thearmatures, need, therefore, not be proportioned with any specialaccuracy. I havefoundin practice that auxiliary windings which have notsufficient energy to move the armatures are entirely satisfactory inholding the armatures after they have been moved by the main windings.This may be explained on the theory of lessened distance betweenarmature and core in addition to residual magnetism.

The preferred construction of relay will. be readily understood from aglance at Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

The relay-armature carries two contact- IIO arms, one opposite eachrelay-spool, one of the arms being rigid to form the contact feature 11of Fig. l and the other being flexible and insulated from the first oneto form the contact feature 12 13 of Fig. 1. For each of these armsthere is a pair of adjustable stop-screws, one screw of each pair forming a contact element. In the illustration these screws are carried byseparate fixed gooseneclr-standarcls It will be noted that when the eastrelay is open the east battery and sounder are then in circuit with theauxiliary winding of the west relay, the sounder thus constituting aresistance in the battery-circuit and to some extent lessening theenergy of the auxiliary winding. In practice this is found. to bewithout detriment; but still in order to provide for extraordinaryconditions I have arranged for cutting the sounder out of the circuitwhen its relay shall have completed its opening stroke. It will beobserved in the diagram that the effect of the back contact 25 is toshort-circuit the sounder after completion of the back stroke of therelayarmature. It may be added that this feature for short-circuitingthe sounder is of such little requirement that in general practice itmay be ignored and omitted.

Attention is first called to the extreme simplicity of the apparatus andthe circuits. The local circuit requires no change whatever either insounder construction, batterypower, or relay-contact over ordinarynonrepeating equipment. The relay requires simply the spring-contact andthe auxiliary winding to be added. The cost of the apparatus is a meretrifle in addition to that of non repeating apparatus, and thenon-repeating functions of it are in no degree impaired.

The next point to which attention is called is the economy andconvenience of localbattery conditions which are such that the batteryis subjected to no more variations in strength than under ordinarynon-repeating conditions, this resulting not only in economy andconvenience as regards local battery, but also resulting in thenonnecessity for anything more than the adjustments of relay usuallyincident to non-repeating conditions. Repeaters notoriously call forpeculiar watchfulness in the matter of spring andcontact adjustments,resulting in exasperating an noyance and in serious delays. In myapparatus the repeating function introduces no degree of increasednecessity for adjustment as compared with non-repeating conditions, andthe repeating capacity is up to the full standard of ordinarvnon-repeating relays.

l/Vhile the contact devices perform functions in making and breakingcircuits, 1 will for the sake of brevity in expression employ the termcircuit-breaker in the claims, meaning thereby a contact device with thedouble function. It is manifest that any other suitable source ofelectrical energy may be substituted for the batteries set forth, and Itherefore employ the term battery as comprehending any such substitute.

An analysis of the diagram will show that when the relay is closed thenits local battery is in circuit with the sounder as a resistance. Theelectrical effect of the soundercoils would be the same, quiteregardless of whether or not the sounder were a sounder in fact andquite regardless of whether or not their resistance were in wire-coilform. I will therefore in the claims employ the term first resistance asmeaning the comparatively low resistance in circuit with the batterywhen the local circuit is closed by the relay, which low resistance willof course preferably be constituted by the coils of a sounder, and Iwill employ the term second resistance as meaning the higher resistanceas represented by the windings 18.

Those skilled in the art of telegraph-repeaters will recognize the factthat the im proved system lends itself to various modifications withoutdeparture from the principle of my invention as pointed out in theclaims. I have simply explained the principle of my invention and thebest mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, theclaims particularly pointing out the combinations constituting myinvention.

I claim- 1. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, abattery a first resistance and a second resistance higher than that ofthe first resistance, a circuit including all said members in series, ashuntcircuit includ' ing the first resistance and battery in series, acircuit-breaker in the shunt-circuit, an electromagnet having anarmature mechanically connected with said circuitbreaker, and amain-line-circuit breaker also mechanically connected with the armatureof said electromagnet, combined substantially as set forth.

2. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a battery afirst resistance and a second resistance higher than that of the firstresistance, a circuit including all said members in series, ashunt-circuit including the first resistance and battery in series, acircuit-breaker in the shunt-circuit, an electromagnet having anarmature mechanically connected with said circuitbreaker, and amain-line-circuit breaker also mechanically connected with the armatureof said electromagnet, said main-line-circuit breaker being arranged toclose prior to the closing of the first-mentioned circuit-breaker,combined substantially as set forth.

3. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a battery afirst resist ance and a second resistance in coil form having aresistance higher than that of the first resistance, a circuit includingall said members in series, a shunt-circuit including the firstresistance and battery in series, a circuit-- breaker in theshunt-circuit, an electromagnet having an armature mechanicallyconnected with said circuit-breaker and having its core surrounded bythe second resistance of the opposite set as an auxiliary winding, and amain-line-circuit breaker also mechanically connected with the armatureof said electromagnet, combined substantially as set forth.

4. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a battery afirst resistance and a second resistance in coil form having aresistance higher than that of the first resistance, a circuit includingall said members in series, a shunt-circuit including IIO the firstresistance and battery in series, a circuit-breaker in theshunt-circuit, an electromagnet having an armature mechanicallyconnected with said circuit-breaker and having its core surrounded bythe second resist ance of the opposite set as an auxiliary winding, aswitch for cutting a portion of said second resistance out of circuit,and a mainline-circuit breaker also mechanically connected with thearmature of said electromagnet, combined substantially as set forth.

A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a battery afirst resistance and a second resistance higher than that of the firstresistance, a circuit including all said members in series, a shuntcircuit including the first resistance and battery in series, acircuit-breaker in the shunt-circuit, an electromagnet having anarmature mechanically connected with said circuitbreaker, amain-line-circuit breaker for the opposite line also mechanicallyconnected with the armature of said electromagnet, a switch for openingthe first-mentioned circuit, and a device for cutting saidmain-linecircuit breaker out of circuit, combined substantially as setforth.

6. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a maincircuit, a local circuit, a battery in the local circuit, a resistancein the local circuit, an electromagnet having windings in each of saidcircuits, a shunt-circuit across that one of said windings which is inthe local circuit, a circuitbreaker in said shunt-circuit, andelectrical connections, combined substantially as set forth, wherebywhen said circuit-breaker is closed said resistance will be in serieswith said battery.

7. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a main linecircuit including an individual relay and including also acircuit-breaker controlled by the relay of the opposite line, a localcircuit including a first resistance and battery and also acircuit-breaker controlled by the individual relay, and a shunt-circuitincluding said first resistance and battery and including also anauxiliary Winding on the relay of the opposite line, combinedsubstantially as set forth.

8. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a battery afirst resistance and a second resistance higher than that 0i the firstresistance, a circuit including all said members in series, ashunt-circuit in cluding the first resistance and battery in series, acircuit-breaker in the shunt-circuit, an electromagnet having anarmature mechanically connected with said circuitbreaker, and amain-line-circuit breaker in the form of a spring-tongue alsomechanically connected with the armature of said electromagnet, saidmain-line-circuit breaker being arranged to close prior to the closingof the first-mentioned circuitbreaker, combined substantially as setforth.

9. A telegraph repeating apparatus comprising, in duplicate, a battery afirst resistance and a second resistance higher than that of the firstresistance, a circuit including all said members in series, ashuntcircuit including the first resistance and battery in series, acircuit-breaker in the shuntcircuit, an electromagnet having an armaturemechanically connected with said circuit- 7 breaker, and acircuit-breaker and circuit connected with said circuit-breaker in theshunt-circuit and adapted. to short-circuit the first resistance whenthe circuit-breaker in the shunt has completed its opening mo- 8 tion.

PAUL E. BLISS.

